Variable speed gearing, particularly for motor vehicles



v. VALLETTA' Jan. 26, 1932.'

VARIABLE SPEED GEARING, PARTICULARLY FDR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed April 2, 1929 mm Q7 I) Patented Jan. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES -VITICIRIO VALLETTA, OF TURIN, ITALY, A

GNOR T FIAT SOGIETA ANONIMA, OF

TUBIN, ITALY VARIABLE SPEED GEARING, PARTICULARLY FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Application fi1ed April 2, 1929, Serial No.

This invention relates to variable speed gearing, particularly for motor vehicles, of the type including gear pinions with internal teeth to ensure quieter transmission. In the lrnown systems, the employment of internally toothed pinions, which is usually restricted to the ratio of transmission directly below the direct drive, always implies a not inconsiderable increase in the length of the gear box.

According to the present invention, however, two or more sets of (reducing) gears for the same speed are disposed in the same plane, thus obviating the aforesaid increase in length.

This and other features of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, an embodiment of my improved variable gearing. In the example as shown, the gearing is of the four-speed type,

the fourth speed being by direct drive, the third speed by an internally-toothed pinion gear, and the second and first speeds being transmitted through a counter-shaft and pinflfl ion gear mounted on a sliding sleeve in the usual manner.

Fig. 1 of the drawings represents a longitudinal section through the variable gearing. Figs. 2 and 3 are cross sections along the ac line A-A of Fig. l, as viewed respectively in the direction of transmission to the driven shaft, and in the direction of the engine.

The gear box is in two parts 1 and 1a, and houses the engine shaft 2 and the countershaft The engine shaft 2 carries a helicoidal pinion l, which is always in gear with a pinion 5 keyed on the countershaft 3, and a pinion 6 which is always in gear with the internal set of teeth '2' of a Ci-section ring 8. The ring 49 8 is also provided with an external set of teeth 9 always in gear with the internal teeth 10 of a crown 11 integral with a sleeve 12 which is co-axial with the engine shaft 2 and mounted thereon by means of a bush 13. Said ring 8 is eccentrically disposed in relation to the engine shaft, and is overhung on an annular support 14L by means of rollers 15.

The support 14 forms part of a member co1n- W prising a ring 16 which is gripped between the two sections 1 and 1a of the gearbox and 351,971 and. in Italy November 2, 1928.

houses a ball bearing 17 for the engine shaft. The member 14: 16 has a gap at its underside through which the pinions st and 5 engage. Beyond the aforesaid pinion 6, and in correspondence with the sleeve 12,,there is he ed 55 on the engine shaft a sleeve 18 provide at the extremity with teeth 18a adapted to engage between the teeth 1966 of a toothed sleeve l9,which is slidably mounted in a sleeve by tongue and groove mechanism 196 and 20?). Said teeth 19a of the sleeve 19 are also adapted to gear with teeth 1262 on the sleeve 12. 1 l p It will be seen that the sleeve 20 is carried by a member .21 forming part of the trans mission shaft 22 of the vehicle, that the engine shaft 2 has a terminal support on rollers 23 disposed in a recess 22a in the shaft 22, and V that-said engine shaft alsohas an intermediate support (in correspondence with the teeth of the second speed) on zaballibearing 2 1 housed in a sleeve 25 integral with the member 21. TlIBtlfillSllllSSlOll shaft 22 itself is supported by aball bearing 26 held between the two sections 1 and 1a of the gearbox. For the purpose of actuating the islidable sleeve 19 a fork (notshown) engages a collar 190 on the sleevein a manner similar to the usual slidable gear mechanism. 7

The variable gearing is completed by mechanism axially displaceable on the countel-shaft 3comprising a collar 31 withpinions 27. and 29 adapted to gear with the sets of teeth 28 and 30 carried respectively by the member 21 and its sleeve 20. Said countershaft 3 is supported, at one end, by bearings 32 and 34 and, at the other end, by a bearing A frontal cap 36'is fitted to the box 1:100 on the engine side. i

With the variable gearing described the first and second speeds are obtained in the usual mannennamely that the transmission from the engine shaft 2 to the driven shaft 22 is effected through the pair of pinions 4: 5 (which are always in gear) and one or other of the two pairs of pinions27 :28 and29: 30, according as the collar 31 with the gears 27 29 is morvedtowards the right or towards the left by fork actuatingmechanismnot shown. Then the gearing is set for the firstor second ill) speed, the sleeve 19 is in the free position, that is to say its teeth 19a are not in mesh either with the teeth 1% on the left or with the teeth 18a on the right. On the other hand, when set for third or fourth speed, the pinions 29 and 27 are in the free position.

Forthird speed, the sleeve 19 is moved towards the left by means of the fork (not shown) thatengages in the collar 190, so that its teeth 19a gear with the teeth 12a of the sleeve 12. Owingtothe presence of the tongueand groove mechanism 196120?) between the sleeves 19 20', the sleeve 12 then becomes integrally connected with the driven shaft 22. Rotation of the engine shaft 2 is thus transmitted, with the desired reduction ratio, to the driven shaft 22, through the pairs of continuously meshing pinions 6: 7 and 9: 10, the crown 11 of the set of teeth 10 formin part of the sleeve 12.

For fourth speed, the sleeve 19 is moved towards the right so that its teeth 19a gear with the teethlSa of the sleeve 18 keyed on the engine shaft 2. Through the mechanism 19?) 206, the movement of the engine shaft is then transmitted to the driven shaft 22 as a direct drive, that is, as though they were one. Obviously, the forks for the collars 19c and 31 may be actuated by any suitable sliding mechanisms such as are used for ordinary variable gearing. Also the constructional details may be altered without departing from the scopeof the invention, according to the type of speed changing, the number of speeds, and so forth.

IV hat I claim is:

1. In a variable speed gearing the combi nation with a gear-box, an engine shaft and a transmission shaft placed in alignment in said box, a ring arranged in another box for supporting the engine shaft and having an inner annular projection eccentric to the axis of said shaft, a C-shaped ring having an internal and an external set of teeth, said annular projection being fitted into the groove of said C-shaped ring for supporting same, a pinion on the engine shaft meshing with the internal set of teeth and a crown with internal teeth meshing with the external set of teeth of said ring and fast with a sleeve loosely engine shaft and having an internal set'of teeth meshing with the external set of teeth of said ring, a stationary clutch member on said'engine shaft, a second stationary clutch member on said sleeve,. a movable clutch member arranged on the transmission shaft so as to come into engagement with one'of the said stationary clutch members or into the unclutched position, a couple of pinions on the transmission shaft and sliding double change speed pinions'mounted on the countershaft, in order to be brought into engagement with one of said sets of teeth and into the position of rest.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my. invention, I have signed my name. i

VITTORIO VALLETTA.

mounted on the engine shaft and provided with teeth,a second sleeve keyed on the engine shaft and provided with teeth, an axially slidable sleeve provided with teeth that can be caused to'mesh with the teeth of the first I I and second sleeve-respectively, and a supporting member for the movable sleeve, fast with the transmission shaft.

2. In a variable speed gearing the combination with a gear-box, an engine shaft and a transmission shaft placed in alignment in said box, a countershaft mounted in said box parallel to the engine and transmision shafts, of a member for supporting the engine, shaft having an annular eccentric projection to said 

